PLAYERS TO WATCH

Trinity Yocum, Clearwater Valley
Chloe Grieser, Genesee
Riley Leseman, Genesee
Laney Landmark, Kamiah
Karlee Skinner, Kamiah
Jayden Leighton, Lapwai
Qubilah Mitchell, Lapwai
Skylin Parrish, Lapwai
Sara Casebolt, Logos
Jaylee Fry, Potlatch
Allie Geis, Prairie
Kylie Schumacher, Prairie
Lexi Schumacher, Prairie
Alaura Hawley, Troy
Dericka Morgan, Troy

Written by: Will Hoenike
If you want a storyline for the talent-rich 1A Division 1 Whitepine League, at least early, it might be who isn’t there rather than who is.

The defending district champion Lapwai Wildcats lost reigning coach of the year Ada McCormak-Marks, reigning league player of the year Jaelyn McCormack-Marks, and first team All-Whitepine performer Jordyn McCormack-Marks to nearby Clarkston (Washington) where the eldest McCormack-Marks is now the head coach. Even for a program as storied and as talent-rich as Lapwai, that’s a big hit.

However, if there’s a community built to survive such a hit, it would be Lapwai. Hollywood produces movie stars, New York produces Broadway hits, Lapwai produces basketball talent. Josh Leighton, the school’s football coach, has taken the reins as the school’s head girls basketball coach as well and the team returns some nice pieces from last season’s 23-win group. Seniors Qubilah Mitchell (6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds per game as junior) and Jayden Leighton (4.0 points, 5.2 rebounds per game) give the team size and experience in the key. Junior Skylin Parrish, a shooting guard, averaged six points per game last season. She’ll be joined in the backcourt by sophomores Taya Yearout and Madden Bisbee, who combined to contribute almost nine points and six rebounds per game off the bench for the Wildcats.

The other Whitepine team to reach the 1A Division 1 state tournament, Prairie, also lost a couple of all-league standouts in Tara Schlader and Kristin Wemhoff, but returns a pair of Schumachers. Lexi, a 5-foot-4 guard, and Kylee, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, will be important contributors for head coach Lori Mader and the Pirates. Senior post Allie Geis and juniors Sage Elven, Hailey Hanson and Sydney Shears also have experience in the Pirates’ system and will get key minutes for the Pirates, who defeated Lapwai in the 1A Division 1 third-place game last spring.

Senior guard Laney Landmark returns for Kamiah, which is coming off a 16-win season for head coach Brandon Skinner. Seniors Mariah Porter and Karlee Skinner also return for the Kubs, who will look to get past the Wildcats and Pirates to reach the state tournament.

A team that could be primed to jump up the standings a bit in 2023-24 is the Troy Trojans. The team returns a pair of 5-foot-9 senior forwards, Alaura Hawley and Dericka Morgan, to a team that won eight games last season but also won four of its final five games.

The Genesee Bulldogs are another team that could make a move this winter. Chloe Greiser earned all-league recognition as a freshman, where she averaged a team-high 12.5 points per game. The Bulldogs also return its top three rebounders from last season in Greiser, senior Audrey Barber, and junior Monica Seubert. Senior Riley Leseman and junior Kendra Meyer bring valuable depth and experience for Genesee, which likes to play fast and press on defense.

Head coach Sky Wilson, a product of conference-rival Prairie High School, begins her first season at Clearwater Valley seeking a replacement for Shada Edwards, who averaged a team-high 16.7 points per game last season. Junior Taya Pfefferkorn returns after averaging seven points per contest last season for the Rams, whose roster features just seven players.

Head coach Mandy Reynolds will be looking for players to step forward to replace departed standouts Jordan Reynolds and Tayva McKinney in Potlatch. The two each earned all-league honors last season as seniors. Jaylee Fry, a 5-foot-7 senior guard, returns for the Loggers. The team only listed eight players on its varsity roster last season and Reynolds and McKinney were the only two seniors, so there is some experience there to build from.

Logos head coach Gabe Rench had a nine-player varsity roster last season, six of which were either freshmen or sophomores. The results were somewhat predictable for such a young team in a strong league like the Whitepine – the Knights struggled to score the basketball and didn’t win a game, but did play 2A St. Maries tough twice. Despite losing honorable-mention All-Whitepine performer Grace VanderPloeg, the Knights should take a step forward this season based on the additional year of experience and growth. Sara Casebolt, a 5-foot-6 guard, was the only junior on last season’s team.